Save 50,000 Pakistani children from blindness

CURRENT PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT

April 2017 to June 2017

Development of children and quality of their learning depends on a number of factors, including their eye health status. Health promoting behavior inculcated by the school not only contributes to the physical development and health care of students, its spin-off improves awareness about eye health issues among the parents and local community as well. Strong relationship between eye health of students and their learning had inspired planners and educators to hundred years ago in developed countries to launch health-related interventions in schools. Gradually, developing countries are also realizing importance of school eye health programme for quality education and over health of the society, and are introducing its various components in their education systems. Improving the health conditions and process of learning among school children through school-based health is not a new concept. At present, most of the developed countries have institutionalized school eye health program as an integral part of their education systems. A number of national and international agencies have decades of experience in this area.

School Eye Health Program primarily based on the relationship of quality of learning with the health conditions of students. Global experiences link success in school eye health program with partnership between various departments and agencies, including Education, Health, and Environment.

Based on the last national blindness survey conducted in 2003-2004, the prevalence of blindness is 0.9%. The main causes of blindness are cataract, corneal opacity, uncorrected aphakia and glaucoma. Diabetic retinopathy and age related macular degeneration are emerging causes of blindness.

The project contributes at the national level by rehabilitating the population by eliminating their visual disability that reduces their productivity. A study of the economic burden of blindness in Pakistan showed that the per annum productivity gains of rehabilitating the entire blind population represent 0.74% of the current gross domestic product of Pakistan, which is higher than the total public spending on health.

A general lack of health care workers as health educators in Pakistan and many other developing countries supports the involvement of teachers in eye health education. However, there is a lack of literature on what they themselves know about common eye diseases, and their detection and management.

Schools also offer an excellent opportunity for health education about prevention of eye trauma which is a regular event among children and a major cause of blindness in one eye. A number of children can be saved from losing interest in their studies and dropping out of school when their learning difficulties or disorders are detected through eye health screening and addressed at early stages.

In areas endemic for vitamin A deficiency and trachoma, the WHO also recommends early detection of these diseases in schools, and health education concerning their prevention and treatment. Globally, an estimated 100 million children (less than 5 years of age) have vitamin A deficiency, and 150 million children have active trachoma. Almost 50 % of Pakistan's total population of around 154 million are children, but nationally representative data on childhood eye diseases are lacking. Pakistan has been classified by the WHO as a country with severe sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency in parts or whole of the country, and studies conducted in different areas of Pakistan show that 32–43% children under 5 have deficient serum vitamin A levels .

Khyber Eye foundation apart from visiting various school in remote areas and also visited religious schools. In religious school the team found 30% of the student with a refractive error this is because of learning Quran (Islamic Religious Book) by heart. The team during the period visited 37 schools and screened 1479 students, 254 teacher were trained to carry out vision of each student, and out of 1479 students 1021 students were diagnosed as refractive error and were issued spectacles free of cost worth of 1183$

Story of a girl student who had refractive error and how her life changed after she was issued spectacles by the project team.

 Aisha is a student of class 10^th, lives in a small village Mandeni in Charsadda and studying in Govt. higher secondary school Mandeni. Her father is driver and supporting 10 members of his family .They have no other source of income. The school eye health program team visited to GGHSS Mandeni and received vision testing form from teacher in which there was a name of Aisha, when asked from her that how she used to do her class work from black board, she replied that she used to sit close to board to do her work but could not see properly, she also told that she never goes anywhere and couldn’t recognized someone due to her blur vision. Before this, she never went anywhere for her eye check up as her father couldn’t afford it. Optometrist in a team carried out her refraction, before refraction her vision was 6/60 in both eyes. After refraction her vision came 6/6 in both eyes. She became really excited for her clear vision and was thankful to the team. Khyber Eye Foundation is very thankful to his donors for donating and request to donate maximum so that the future of poor school going children is secured.

Raised                                     $ 4267    

Remaining                               $ 45233